It’s really hard to say, but I’ve never become a fan of a band after they messaged me on MySpace beckoning me to “check them out.” I do, however, give most of them a chance because, well, you never know. This isn’t exactly how it happened with Asthmaboy, but it was close—bulletin vs. spam email. What intrigued me most was the offer to download their album for free, no questions asked. Just, “Here you go. Thanks for stopping by.” Now, who can say no to that?
Another thing you wouldn’t expect is to get a free album via MySpace bulletin that could be considered one of the best of the year. Later Days, the debut album from Bellingham, Washington’s Asthmaboy, comprised of Glindon Marten and his writing partner John Boone, is the musical equivalent of The Confederacy of Dunces, only they aren’t dead and the album wasn’t discovered by either of their mothers. Maybe that’s a little much, but it is a wonderful piece of art that was created in the sanctuary of two different houses and for no financial profit whatsoever (unless this is a big ploy to get Marten a graphic design job). The album was shaped while juggling school and full-time jobs and a somewhat obvious lack of budget. But that’s what gives Later Days its incredibly honest and sincere aesthetic.
The first track off the album, “Disappearing Trick,” greets you with a sweet and subtle guitar and piano melody that sets the stage for Marten’s soft and comforting vocals. Upon first listen it sounds like a love song, but when you hear what Marten is singing, it sounds more like a child reminiscing about a father who was never around. His voice is very misleading because of its elevated pitch, but it has more than its share of grief, giving it a darker quality to the likes of Elliot Smith, Sufjan Stevens or Craig Minowa from Cloud Cult. “EraseHer” has a similar feel. It’s just two guitars and vocals (and a shaker), and envelops you with perfect gloom, making you wish you could figure out what happened to make Marten wish he could “erase her in due time.”
Marten explains in his bio that the songs on this album are very personal and difficult to share with others, which only makes you listen harder and feel them more and more with each listen. But not all the songs have this darkness. The song about an asteroid colliding with earth to elimiate the human race (“Down to the Puget Sound”) is actually the most uplifting as far as music is concerned. It’s a jaunty little head-bobber with a modestly plucked banjo, sung extremely matter-of-factly about the earth splitting in half and how annoying it would be to never know the conclusions to all our favorite shows—which pretty much sums up the human race right there.
One of the brightest moments of songwriting on Later Days is “One Thought Per Second.” Beyond the ever-flowing vocal melodies, there’s this slight build that acts like a small tornado, sweeping you up into the funnel where you get a deeper glimpses into Marten’s mind. During the chorus his voice opens up like a bedroom window on a summer night and it’s one of the most sincere and heart-wrenching moments on the album. The song itself feels like there’s a constant struggle with the “what ifs” that consistently weigh him down—only dreaming to just be “cozy and warm.”
Later Days is chock full of glimpses into Marten’s wounded heart. The second he lets go you feel it just as much as he does. The album is a man’s endless battle to uncover a way to let go. What from can only be speculated, but everyone deals with some extraordinary sadness in their lives, but that need to hold on or blame or wish things could be different is what will eventually hold you back. All in all, Later Days is a beautiful peephole into the heart of a brilliant songwriter proving once again that best art comes from the darkest places.
Download Later Days here: asthmaboymusic.com
